Out of this Dimension!
by Brae
Summary: Based on the SNES route 3. The Black Hole holds the answer to Fox's father's disappearance but it also holds within it a deadly time-limit for the Starfox team. As reality stretches against its seams, ready to burst, something else will be born Fox/Falco
1. Corneria

AN: This chapter has been RE-WRITTEN to improve quality! This story takes place from the SNES version of the game Route3, the opening and ending sequence is severely close to that, even the chapter names for nostalgia purposes (so pick up an emulator, or download Youtube videos if you've never played it!). Portions were inspired by the OC remix Godspeed by The Wingless- Brae

--

Scramble!

Emergency!

The Cornerian base was in turmoil with the countless forces that showered upon the city – they had been fighting for hours, with no opportunity for rest. Troops raced by, transporting news and wounded, of which neither was good. Among them, four were making their way to the launching bay, a team that had been disbanded some time ago, after their leader was killed, had returned.

Scramble!

Emergency!

The alarms and notices drowned out the screaming of some injured pilots, of which, two didn't return from their squadron after given orders to target an enemy air-carrier. Their attack was a success, but seemed only to provoke Venom further. The general, himself, reinstituted the team – believing that the abilities they showed could possibly turn the tide in this volatile time. They entered the hangar where their crafts reflected in the flashing lights, a flawless beauty.

Scramble!

Emergency!

The fighter crafts were prepared, the crews removing hoses and cables. The four smiled at their new Arwings, a gift from Corneria – an emblem shown brilliantly: Starfox. Over intercom it began finalizing the Arwings:

'Internal power to enable.'

'Enabled.'

'External power to disable.'

'Disabled.'

They climbed into their ships.

'Primary weapons to enable.'

'Enabled.'

'Secondary weapons to enable and prime.'

'Primed.'

Fox wrapped his hands around the centre-stick and marveled at the craftsman's-ship.

'Astrogation systems to enable.'

'Enabled.'

'Life-Support to enable.'

'Enabled.'

It had been years since he'd been in an Arwing, his father flew him in the prototype models and secretly shared this experience with his son. The wings spread with a robotic whir and the hull closed over them.

'Deflector shields to enable and prime.'

'Primed.'

'Targeting systems to enable.'

'Enabled.'

Their crafts hummed to life, lighting up as screens flashed as preliminary loading occurred. He turned to the others and could see their smiles and ecstatic awe of being the first Cornerian-contracted team to consist of all Arwings – and the first crew that the planet counted upon in an era of peril. This filled Fox with an ambivalent anxiety – he smiled.

'Alpha replace to enable.'

'Enabled.'

Fox closed his eyes and his grin became strained. His father was the alpha he was replacing – missing, presumed dead.

'Spacial interface to prime.'

'Primed.'

"Okay guys. This is it." They had attracted quite a following, dozens of Cornerians now stood in the bay watching – they've been waiting for awhile to see Starfox finally return, Gen. Pepper stood proud among his soldiers.

'Gravity source to enable.'

'Enabled.'

'Load bombs to prime.'

'Primed.'

'All systems go.'

'Acknowledged, all systems are go: Starfox primed and ready!'

There was an explosion of applause, catching the team off guard. They turned in their cockpits and watched them cheer. Fox felt as though he had swallowed a stone. They saluted Starfox, even the wounded were wheeled out for the unmentioned ceremony.

_Okay, Dad, here goes nothing._

Wing-N fighters, Prepare for launch!

The rail system of the hangar catapulted the ships, the forces pressing each member of Starfox further and further into their seats. The end of the launching ramp drawing closer, Fox held his breath, his heart raced. They erupted into the light.

The cheerful ceremony seemed like a distant memory now. The metropolis was in an uproar, its citizens dashed for cover from the invading Venomian forces. Innocent people ran into buildings screaming as enemy fire rained all around them. The city was in the midst of its evacuation efforts, but the surprise assault left many scattered and confused. Fox watched as several citizens were gunned down.

"All ships check in!" There was a fury in his voice he tried to subside.

"Ready, Fox," replied Falco. He shielded his eyes, the sun was low on the horizon and its glare struck his face. Always ready to prove his self to the others, he smiled knowing that despite the time of the attack, he would expand his kill count; he hovered beside Fox's Arwing and waved. Falco'd been a mercenary for sometime before Fox placed his request to join his old man's team; they'd met over a few drinks and a quick dogfight – to which Falco placed on Fox's tab after his victory, a gamble Fox was thrilled he lost. Falco was pleased with his opponent's talents and saw suit to accept his invitation – Fox lost his bet and gained a wingman.

High-pitched, and not terribly confident, enthusiastically, "Ok!" was the reply Slippy Toad had for his leader. Slippy was a chief-mechanic for a fearsome G-Zero racing group. Fox's father was a big fan of the Grand Prix, having originally made plans to recruit Slippy for his talents when he grew older, Fox extended the invitation. He accepted without hesitation. He took his place at Fox's side.

"Yeah – Let's Go!" Senior member of Starfox, Peppy Hare followed suit. He served in Starfox beside Fox's father. Though, even in this severe situation, worried how Fox was coping after his vanishing. Fox said little about his father, and after leaving the Cornerian Academy, said even less; focusing only on the mission. Peppy's experience is what placed him back into a cockpit; Peppy approached Fox enthusiastically with the idea of fighting for Corneria once again. He had spent years mourning James McCloud; but knew he'd want him to fight beside his son.

The four then had to approach the General – with no equipment or means of flight; they would have to align themselves with the Cornerian fleet. He would not even speak to the four, refusing visitors – constantly excusing himself to concentrate fully on the attacks that were occurring in the Lylat System. He took a great deal of persuading before granting them their Arwings and license to participate in battle under his authority.

The formation was almost immediately broken. "Look, Look!" Slippy's Arwing broke away and swerved through some of Corneria-city's archways and took chase to their first enemy: an un-manned, scout craft. He easily downed it with Arwing fire. "Did you see me?" but the other members of the team's attention was on a toppling building that had taken too much damage and crumbled before their eyes. Slippy quickly realized how serious the situation had become and his tone immediately changed.

The four raced as quickly as they could to get to the frontline of the battle, and tried to draw scout fire towards the outskirts of the city. They could see the real battle now, and the real damage the city had sustained - it plagued Fox.

_This is Pepper's fault. If only he would've listened sooner. People were dying and he wouldn't allow a willing team fight for the safety of the citizens of the system? 'You're not ready, Fox,' that's what he said, a terrible excuse. Gen. Pepper didn't want to risk losing me like he lost my father. I owe it to Peppy, his experience with my father quickly dismissed any excuse the general had – after he was cornered the general could not help but outfit us, he was honor bound._

Mechanized bipedal automatons began requisitioning the Cornerian supplies, carrying entire silos that supported the enormous population of the planet and the pieces from the air-carrier that the injured pilots back at base dispatched.

_I'll show him I'm ready._ "Starfox, it's time to go to work." The Arwings broke their formation and engaged the enemy. Their radar was assaulted with countless blips.

Fox fired on the walking machines, feeling the recoil of the laser cannons was amazing. The shots didn't quite make their mark, however, instead clipping one of the many small fighter crafts that swarmed around them like hornets. He fired again, shredding the chest-plate; it began to smoke from the inside but released one of the silos before collapsing itself. He watched Falco barrel through the swarms, dispatching six then eight – his skills were unmatched, the hornets fell like common houseflies.

Peppy pulled his craft, but it had been too long since he last piloted a fighter – he had many crafts simply meters behind him. He started taking fire; the Arwing immediately began losing its luster. "I need some help over here!" Fox took chase after the four smaller crafts that Peppy couldn't shake – he opened his targeting computer.

"C'mon, damn it." Fox's Arwing was too unsteady, the targeting computer failing to lock. Peppy's deflectors began absorbing more damage; it was hard to say how much more punishment it could take.

"Fox!" His name being called shook him, his eyes closed and blindly pulled the trigger – ship parts pounded then bounced off his frame. "Thanks, Fox!"

"Watch yourself, guys;" Falco whirled about and darted by, taking notice to Peppy's corrected situation.

Slippy strafed the ground with fire, targeting venom-artillery. Venom-planted artillery could be confused as small buildings; they assumed the shape of small towers which released powerful plasmic blasts. They were tough, resisting even concentrated fire from his ship - he released his Arwing's nova-bomb in response. Their bombs create quite a flash, bright enough for Slippy to look away, but as he turned back, the small towers were dust. "Pizza cake!"

Fox continued focusing his fire on the requisitioner-bots; making sure that Venom would not be walking away with Cornerian-anything. They collapsed with satisfying thuds. "Slippy, it's a Piece of Cake," Fox smiled; pleased he lightened up again.

"Well I can have my pizza cake and eat it too." Fox laughed to himself, not bothering to correct that phrase either. Slippy laugh turned into a gasp.

There was the sound of static on Fox's end he stared as the plasma web collided with Slippy's Arwing. His arwing drifted on, but on its side; the wing almost completely melted away. After a few seconds it righted itself.

"I'm fine! The wing's mostly gone but I can divert some engine power to stabilize pull. Take this!" Slippy released a second nova-bomb into his assailant, a tower he must've missed.

A hornet managed to land a shot, "Ah, you lucky bastards," Falco braked, hard. The speedy-crafts could not slow down in time; they sped into his sights and were shot down.

Fox took notice to the blows they've received, "How's everyone holding up?" They knew they would have to be cautious, with supply rings few in between and no time to stop for repairs - and retreat was not an option.

Falco deployed one of his nova bombs and watched as the nearby enemy crafts dissolve from its blast, the broad blast doing a severe amount of damage to the swarm. "Is this really all they're throwing at us?" he taunted hungrily.

"Seems like we've dealt quite a punch, Fox." Peppy studied his radar; the forces seemed to be diminishing rapidly.

"Great, we're done, right?" Slippy's wing didn't seem to be damaged too badly, his ship intact and well. Fox was impressed with the toad's sudden calculations.

Loud, mechanical whirring then drowned out the pulsing of their Arwing's engines – an enormous, rolling battle-fortress was the source. Falco's targeting computer's output suggested the base's dimensions: 150 yards wide and 45 high, with a core temperature suggesting an advanced plasma triple-core – this fortress's damage capabilities were phenomenal. "Now this is more like it!"

"This is what Pepper mentioned, all. This thing is what leveled a city on the other side of Corneria. It cannot be allowed to get closer to the capital! We're going to have to take this thing down on our own." _Once again, if we were granted leave to tackle these forces without delay – then maybe we could've prevented that from occurring too. If I would've left the academy earlier, maybe I could've saved my father._

"Fox!"

But Fox was lost in thought as the blinding web of light hurdled towards his craft. Falco's voice woke Fox, but could only stare as the plasma was now yards from his ship, the faces of his friends raced through his mind before everything went dark and quiet – A bang. Fox collided against the hull of his own ship, his head striking the panel, but managed to regain control, enough to realize Falco had pushed him aside by ramming into his Arwing, absorbing the brunt of the blast from the fortress.

Falco's shipped chimed: Wing damaged! "I know." Wing damaged! "I know! Damn it!" Falco gripped his arm, he was certain it was broken. He called over to Fox, "Eyes, forward, Fox! Are you all right?"

Peppy and Slippy both engaged the fortress instinctively after seeing what had happened to Falco; delivering shots which seemed to have little or no effect as they were easily deflected by the fortress's massive shielding system.

Fox's head swam, he placed his hand against his head, and he drew it back seeing his own blood on his palm: the cut beginning to bleed into his fur. He switched to a private channel with his wingman. "I'm okay. Yeah, thanks, Falco. Your Arwing, are you okay to fly?"

"I can keep this bird in the air." He diverted the systems as inspired by the blow Slippy received.

"I meant you, are you okay?"

"Mind your own business, Fox. I'm fine. Just watch yourself." Falco winced, trying to ignore the pain traveling up his arm.

Fox switched back to the public channel, he recalled a conversation with Slippy concerning the overheating of weaponry, "Slippy, Peppy, it seems that this fortress cannot handle delivering these plasma blasts without taking time to cool their cores after every shot. When it opens its cooling hatches, open all guns on the cores – we'll see if we can overheat them. Falco, stay back!"

"Aye-aye, Fox!" Slippy smiled and gave himself a high-five in his mind.

"Right, Fox." Peppy's confidence in Starfox was restored.

Falco's Arwing was difficult to steady; the damage it took was forcing it to pull left pretty severely. But sure enough, he watched as Fox's prediction come true, after every rippling plasma-web was launched, the hatches opened and began spinning, serving as fans. Falco pushed the craft and laid strafe shots, placing himself in danger of being killed from the other cores. Fox stared in horror. Falco pulled left, utilizing the damage to his advantage, his craft now allowed for tighter left turns – the core erupted in flame and exploded.

"Falco, are you nuts!" Fox screamed into the radio. Furious that Falco had disobeyed orders and nearly killed himself.

Falco smiled.

Slippy called in, "Nice work, Falco!"

As did Peppy, "Good call, Fox! Let's finish this."

Slippy and Peppy released their nova bombs on the cooling hatches, the fortress ceased firing as often to prevent the now-apparent weakness from being revealed, the nova bombs destroyed both of the hatches leaving the remaining two cores unshielded.

"This one is for James!" Peppy rushed towards the core, laying fire with a yell; the core crackled with energy and exploded with a deafening boom. The fortress, in response, released its missiles; Peppy swerved to avoid them, but the missiles continued their pursuit.

"Peppy, those are homing missiles! Get out of there!" Slippy yelled.

The beeping of Peppy's Arwing began to overwhelm him as the pace grew quicker and quicker as the rockets drew closer. He swerved even more wildly, nearly colliding into some buildings. There was an explosion and smoke, Fox's Arwing pummeled through the cloud. Peppy wiped the sweat from his brow and thanked him, "Thanks a heap, James!"

Fox paused; did he just hear what he thought he did? He shook it off, after releasing those rockets the fortress was defenseless.

Seizing the opportunity, Fox fired a few more shots into the third core – and the fortress began to explode from within. This wasn't uncommon in the Venomian forces; they were known to self-destruct when defeated to leave no-one behind for their foes to interrogate. The explosion was impressive, shrapnel bounced off their arwings, scraping their ships – an enormous flash before it was reduced to rubble.

They noticed what was left of the hornets fell to the ground and became lifeless: they were not strong enough to leave the Cornerian atmosphere in retreat and promptly began to erupt from within.

There was only silence now, Fox checked his radar: _nothing. Was that it? _His heart leapt. The denizens of Corneria should be evacuated by now, safely thanks to Starfox. He grinned. "All ships check in!"

"So far, so g-g-good," Slippy stuttered.

"Ok, Ok! What's next!?" Peppy was glowing; Fox was certainly his father's son.

"No sweat, Fox!" Falco extended Fox a V with his hand.

_I did it, everyone's fine. That should show Pepper and Venom, both, how serious we are! That one was for you, Pop._

Slippy was loudly cheering and laughing: "Starfox! Starfox! Starfox! Yeah!" Even Peppy was laughing along with him.

Fox was relieved and laughed in disbelief. That is, until Falco's ship began to smoke.


	2. Asteroid Field

The cockpit was filling with electrical smoke, Falco began to choke. The plan was to rendezvous with General Pepper and Command at the present blockade outside the asteroid field. He knew he wouldn't be able to jump with the Arwing's present condition. The smoke was burning at his eyes.

Status Critical!

"God damn it," He choked. "Fox, there's no way I'll be able to get past the atmosphere like this." He began turning the smoking fighter, "Go on, I'll get myself repaired and meet you up there. Just don't get yourself blown up while I'm gone."

Slippy interrupted Fox and suggested using his tools and equipment in the bay his Arwing was stationed.

Fox watched Falco's ship until it was out of view.

Peppy: "Fox."

Fox nodded, "Right, prepare for linking with Command. All ships?" His question was answered in the ship's HUD.

--

Falco's skills were impressive but the Arwing collided hard against the concrete and it scraped against the ground until it managed to come to a grinding halt, feet from the hangar. The sparks were still sizzling when Falco leapt from his ship – he fell ungracefully as he tried to catch his body with his broken arm. The arm gave way and Falco cursed then gasped for whatever air he could get into his burning lungs. He was on his back for an hour.

The hangar and base were empty and were still wailing its alarms to which Falco punched off with his working arm. His coughs filled the silence in the hangar.

He pulled his beaten body to the medical room. Awkwardly he created a splint with what he could find, supply was low – most of which was assigned to where Fox was headed. Falco took a deep breath and began his work. The ceiling provided cables to suspend Arwings – it took some effort to pull the cable to his ship. Once this was done, a switch was all it took to pull the ship into the air and fully into the hangar. The cable also provided uplink and display analysis through computer – Falco read through these while he enjoyed a soft-drink from a cooler. Slippy's programming made this process much easier, small hovering repair droids began their work.

_I can't think like this. _The noises of the repair began pounding in his skull_. _Falco stepped away from the terminal and began walking down the empty halls. He packed the tobacco into his cigarette box but stopped and placed them back into his pocket. He had enough smoke for today. Passing dormitories, and war rooms, he stopped when he reached Peppy's temporary quarters.

He had noticed that Peppy had left his file-cabinet unlocked and open. Falco thought that his teammate was far too careful to let this happen absent-mindedly; though the chaos of the attack must have been to blame. There, in the hare's files, Falco found star-charts, physics equations for space anomalies, schematics for an Arwing. Such things weren't of particular interest until he realized what all the papers were really about. Falco was not about to go into Peppy's personal life, so he made the motion of moving his journal to the top of the desk – a picture slid to the ground of James McCloud.

Falco had never seen him before. He could now see Fox in his father. Falco took the journal and walked back to his ship – the smell of smoldering metal and whirring of the little bots work had now filled the hangar to a higher degree. Though it no longer bothered Falco; he tilted the chair back and placed his boots on the terminal desk as he began to read.

_James is gone and so is the pig. I am alone. James was last seen in_

_ the attached quadrant coordinates. I never thought I would lose my _

_ friend to a black hole. He might be alive – the hole could very well_

_ be a sort of makeshift worm hole! If James survived the massive_

_crushing of the forces…_

Falco skimmed as the material mentioned the physics of the black hole; but took notice as he reached the coordinates. "There's no way," he said aloud as he plugged the information into the computer – the screen displayed an asteroid field," he plunged into the journal further.

_…If I ever get the chance to get close enough to the black hole I will_

_ attempt to find James myself. If the Lylat system doesn't want to help_

_ find someone who defended them before, then I will. Perhaps it is a_

_ matter of pure will, I might lack the ability to find James but his son,_

_ his son might be able to get me to James. Lylat needs its hero now_

_ more than ever._

_Had Peppy finally snapped? _He had to get to Fox. If Peppy pushed Fox into the black hole it would kill him!

--

"Team Fox requesting link, we're home, General." Fox was worried but was trying to be strong for the others.

General Pepper replied, "Good to have you all back," he paused as he counted, "Fox you're missing a member of your team."

"Falco could not make the jump before making necessary repairs. He will be joining us when he's able."

The docking procedures began as the Arwings slowed their way into the Great Front – the asteroids were haloed in the light of the sun and the nebulae glowed brilliantly. It seemed quite a rigorous amount of defense ships made it as well creating a formidable-sized armada.

The team descended from their fighters, Gen. Pepper and some others were waiting to congratulate the three on the excellent job they'd done earlier. Pepper was quick to point out that a counter-attack would be immanent and that it would be best to strike preemptively. Their armada would be quick to offer support, but there has been suspicion that Venomian forces were hidden about the asteroid belt. The enormous fighters could not handle asteroids and hordes of fire for too long. When the old general had finished speaking he granted the three time-to-themselves before they would be sent into the asteroid field.

Slippy extended a thumbs-up to the others as he left for the mess-hall.

Peppy was anxious and it could be seen. He was pacing and fidgeting. He built up the courage to share some words with Fox.

"You did really good out there, Fox. I just wanted you to know that. James would've been pleased." Fox wasn't convinced.

"Hardly, he wouldn't have waited for permission." Peppy's ears lowered sadly.

"Fox," he looked about to see if there was anyone listening, "I might know of a way to bring him back."

Fox closed his eyes and thought back to the bodiless funeral ceremony they had – he swallowed his stomach and it churned inside him. He recalled everyone there, countless Cornerians, even more from Fox's home planet. Fox had no intention of originally going; Peppy had insisted he attend the funeral but his words fell on deaf ears_. I left the planet that day; it was Falco who convinced me to go back_. When he opened his eyes Peppy extended some papers. "What is this?"

"They're plans apprehended by your father. They're to a space-graveyard where Andross was experimenting with who-knows-what. He'd been doing it for quite awhile – James, your dad, realized what a threat this could hold for the system. Pepper didn't allow him to go, James wanted some support, but Pepper didn't grant him this either."

Fox knew the rest of this story, but not the details. "How long have you kept this from me?"

The rabbit expressed his surprise, "I had my suspicions but I had no idea! I had Slippy get the details through his expertise with machines, from Pepper's files. He kept it from you, Fox."

"He thought I would chase my father."

Peppy nodded and looked down, "Was he wrong?"

"Of course, not."

"You're a good pilot, Fox – but he didn't want to lose you both. No one really knows what is in there."

"Is he alive, or isn't he, Peppy?"

"I don't know, Fox – but I'd like to believe he is."

"That's not enough, Peppy!" Fox was shouting now, "Why didn't you go after him? If you really had any inkling you should've told me!"

"I didn't know if you were ready," he said in defense. His shoulders were grabbed and pressed into a wall; Fox's eyes struck him just as hard.

"My Father could very well be alive, and you wait years to tell me this! He could be out there dying or be dead and now making this clear to me now, why?" The rabbit began shaking.

"Because Pepper plans on imploding the anomaly through detonation. He intends to seal it permanently, any proof of your father with it." Fox released him and he slid to the ground.

Slippy's chicken and Peppy both hit the ground, "Guys?"

"Suit up, Slippy – we're going to take a trip."

--

Falco landed his Arwing and was greeted in similar form by Gen. Pepper. "Welcome back, Mr. Lombardi. Good to see you alive."

He said rushing immediately moving past, "Yeah it's mutual. Where's Fox?"

"Last time I saw them they were headed to the dormitories," Pepper began with the briefing he gave Fox and the others, but Falco was already marching out of earshot.

_Please tell me you haven't left. Where the heck are you? _Falco was frantic, moving from area to area, floor to floor, halting people to ask for the location of his team – "Has anybody seen Fox!" He stopped when he found Peppy. _You. _"What have you been planning, where's Fox!" Fear for his own safety Peppy tried to limp away. He pressed him into the same wall, held him there with his working arm, "What did you tell him?"

"Falco, stop! You don't know anything about that's going on."

"I read a good book, you swine, where's Fox?"

"He and Slippy left," he understood now that Falco knew exactly what he meant, "To the black hole."

"You are no different than Pigma – you've sent Fox to the same place that killed your best friend! You're delusional, there's no way anybody could survive anything like that!" He bashed the old rabbit against the wall. "Pepper will know about this, you're going to be placed in the brig and if you don't rot, you can consider Starfox a thing of the past because you're history!" Peppy was allowed to fall to the ground again, it was clear he was in pain. Falco dashed back to his Arwing – he would just have to hope that the repairs would be enough to hold against the Asteroid Field.

"Falco, your arm! You're not fit to fly!" But Falco was gone, he was alone again. He sobbed quietly to himself.


	3. The Awesome Black Hole

"Fox, just tell me what's going on. You've got me worried! Hello, can you hear me? Fox you're scaring me, would you just -" They whorled about and through the asteroid field but Fox gave no reply – Slippy followed worriedly. He wanted to ask if he could call command about this, but was certain he knew the answer.

Something beeped onto radar, "Fox?" But Fox only began to pick up speed. Slippy turned within his cockpit to see the stealth fighters manifest behind them – he pushed the ship to keep up with Fox. Enemy fire struck his craft, Slippy struggled to maintain control as it shook violently, more enemies had gathered in chase. Fox fired into asteroid-mounted guns, causing them to crush into dust as it collided with a larger space-rock. The toad thought he had better chances with the asteroids than the enemies himself, using his boosters to find the distance he desperately needed from those in chase. They dashed between the great rocks and about them, getting closer to only Fox knows. The asteroid belt didn't seem too infested after all, Slippy expected much more resistance. After some distance, Fox veered left, when Slippy followed suit his leader's craft was facing his, having turned 180 and floating quietly backwards. Fox opened fire, and his teammate screamed; the stealth fighters were now a bad memory as he opened his eyes. Slippy smiled as he realized he was alive but it quickly faded away after what he saw now. He halted his craft – the asteroids floated by, some being pulled into the darkness of the lavender abyss.

His first words in some time: "We're here."

But where exactly were we? There was looming glow against their crafts, the source was an enormous swirling vortex, and it became clear to Slippy now. Did he really expect him to follow him into this? It was pretty and deadly both, Peppy had some interest in these anomalies – bribed him a home-cooked meal to get past some records that weren't too difficult to get his hands on. He was told by Peppy that he was just writing a book. He kicked himself for not reading those files. They were drifting towards the vortex.

--

He leapt into his Arwing and boosted from the Great Front. He had to make it there before Fox's emotions got him killed. _What's so damned special about you, James? _He looked down at his wingman's father's photo again, as he moved onward. _You've got a great son. _Falco recalled his own childhood – on the darker side of Corneria. The rundown area was filled with gangs and thugs:

_The gang drew Falco into a corner after he fled for his life._

'_Yo, Falco!' _

'_Check out the half-pint!' _

'_Let's see his insides.' A gang member drew a knife. He tried to defend himself, but to no avail, the three easily over-powered him. He was cut, beaten, and his eyes could barely focus on the silhouette that walked into the ally. "Dad."_

'_What's this? You really want some old man?'_

'_Came to save your faggot son?'_

_His father inhaled into his cigarette and looked into his son's begging eyes._

"_Please, Dad, don't let me die here!"_

_Then his father walked away – and the gang continued their beating. _

He was among the asteroids now – he could see debris, there was evidence of fighting. Fox had been through here.

"Falco, this is an emergency." So spoke Gen. Pepper.

"I kinda have my own situation, big guy. I'm certain Corneria won't explode for a few minutes while I collect -"

"_Dad, come back! Please, oh god, please come back! I love you!"_

_It was the last time Falco ever laid eyes on him._

"Falco, the crews were not finished in repairing your craft, there's an oxygen leak. Turn back now – you're on a limited amount of air supply."

He rubbed his brow, he was crying, the purple glow against his face. And he was alone.

--

Fox collected himself, relieved he wasn't dead. The two Arwings ungracefully rotating, he righted himself, or at the very least stopped the spinning – because where he was now, there was no sense of up and down.

"Slippy." There was only silence, and he thought the worst. "Slippy, are you okay?"

There was a moan, his Arwing still spinning, "I think I'm going to be sick." Fox released a sigh. "Where are we, what happened?" It took some time, but Slippy too righted himself, using Fox's Arwing for reference.

"I'm not sure."

In horror, Slippy's eyes widened; a few meters from his tiny fighter, was an enormous Cornerian Explosive. He held his breath, on the cylindrical explosive was the patriotic symbol of their planet; it had now became an ominous emblem of unpleasantness. "Fox, is this what I think it is?"

Fox bit his bottom-lip, seeing that this wasn't the only one – he counted perhaps five floating devices. Perhaps more had drifted further in. _Slippy couldn't possibly disable all of these, what had he gotten him into? He'll refuse. _"Slippy do you think you could disable these? I don't want them going off while we're down here."

"Why are we down here?" He couldn't help but sound accusingly.

"This is the last place my father was seen, I guess I was acting a bit impulsively – but Pepper plans on destroying this place, it was my only chance to get the answers I needed to find." There was a period of silence, Fox was certain his teammate wouldn't be his teammate for much longer.

"Sure thing, Fox, I'm on it."

He didn't mean to reveal his surprise, "Really?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I?"

"You're not mad?"

"I'm peeved off beyond measure, Fox. But I would still be here if you would have just asked me, the others too. That is, if you didn't get us blasted into space dust on the way in here." Slippy and his leader shared a grin.

Fox looked around, debris was everywhere – there was quite a bit of damage, wreckage everywhere. It seemed quite a firefight happened here, he combed over his surroundings. There were huge space carriers, abandoned and tumbling quietly through…wherever he was. There was a small orange sun in the distance, the light danced among the debris. There was even…He stopped when his eyes met a third tumbling Arwing.

"Slippy."

"Yeah?" He was outside his Arwing in a space suit, normally for emergency repairs, a hose running from the life-support. He had opened the first panel on the explosive, leaving wires exposed.

"It's his Arwing." Fox could not help but tear. He slowly moved his ship towards it.

--

He cursed himself for being a few minutes too late, he assumed the worst for Fox and Slippy. And he couldn't stop his God-damned blubbering. The oxygen level of the Arwing would be just enough to turn back. He took a few minutes before reaching for his centre stick, ready to go back. But, he was no longer alone; he crossed his arms with a smile, as an Arwing pulled adjacent to his. "Now that's more like it," he quickly wiped away his tears.

"Falco, your air supply - I'm going to replenish your reserves." A switch was thrown on his console and a large angular pipe was extending. He stared in awe at the swirling light of what swallowed his two squad mates. "Oh my, it's beautiful." Distracted, the pipe collided with Falco.

"Hey! Watch the paint." Peppy translated the smart-off as a 'thank you.' This time making sure the pipe fit into place.

"You need to get to Fox now. I'll try to keep Pepper from detonating it – but there's been word that the Venomian fleet plans to use the hole and front an attack on the blockade." Pepper will detonate it if he thinks it will save Corneria."

Calmly, Falco muttered to himself, "Nobody mentioned explosives to me; nobody mentioned Venomian fleets. Why am I always the last to know?" The pipe had finished and oxygen levels were normalized.

"It's not a permanent fix, but it should buy you enough time to get to Fox." Peppy reared his Arwing and left to counter the General. "Good luck!" Falco translated the wish for luck as an 'I'm sorry."

Falco stared into the void as he drifted closer; it was as though it reached out and ripped him inside. The strain was horribly painful and even light-speed travel never left Falco so nauseous. He screamed, praying he did not miscalculate – and praying that Fox wasn't dead – and that he wasn't suffering the same fate.

--

There was a sudden beep that drew Fox from his melancholy, Falco's Arwing drifted from nowhere. "Hot Damn!"

Falco replied in an uncomfortable moan.

Slippy could not be distracted, the wirings for an explosive this enormous were severely sensitive but he managed to disable two – that is, until he saw the Arwing tumbling towards the bomb he was working on, a collision could cause them all to go off, killing them all! "Fox! Falco! Ahh!"

Nobody spoke. Falco cleared his vision too late.

…

Thud. Still alive, everyone released their held breaths; though the impact sent the bomb hurdling away from Slippy. "Fox!"

Fox thrusted away from his Father's ship, chasing the bomb – if it got away, it could collide with something else and explode. The remains of a Venomian Air-Carrier seemed to be the drum-of-death's next target. Fox hurried past and opened fire, showering the carrier with repeated blasts until it was crudely carved in two. The aged shuttle parted, granting Fox enough room for his next maneuver: Fox mimicked the speed of the explosive, getting a few meters on it then braked, using the hull of his ship to slow it to a stand-still.

Falco was impressed – and nauseous. He righted his Arwing.

Fox began pushing it back towards the three. "Not bad, right?" he sounded more confident than he felt; his body was shaking uncontrollably, not that anyone could see. _I can't believe he's here; he's saved my life once already._

"Yay, Fox!" Slippy finally then realized that no sound within the space suit was audible to the others; he rolled his eyes and sighed. He instead extended a thumbs-up to the others.

"Fox, I don't know if you have enough time to disable these things – Peppy said that Venom will definitely be making its way through here, Gen. Pepper plans to seal this portal. With us in it if he has to."

"Slippy, how much time do you think it would take?" Slippy had nearly had this one finished before Falco crashed into it; it only took the snapping of one more wire. He entered his Arwing and moved to his fourth, giving him a few moments of communication, "Not long now. No pressure, guys." It became much easier after the last attempts – if he could just keep his hands from shaking.

Falco watched his air gauge, it was half-empty. He thought not to bring this up as a concern to the others. "What is this place?"

"Peppy told me it used to be experimental grounds, Andross's experimental grounds. It doesn't look like it gets much use these days." He watched the fourth Arwing, still stationary, spinning quietly.

"Well that doesn't seem to be the case today. Fox, we really should just leave."

Those words struck both pilots as they looked around themselves. "How exactly do we do that?! Peppy didn't say anything about this!" Nothing around them even resembled an exit, just empty space and forever debris.

They realized they were very lost. And no amount of running in any direction would avoid the collapsing of the Black Hole. Falco desperately tried calling base – no answer. Desperately tried to call peppy – no answer. "Somebody come in! Fuck!" He gripped James McCloud tightly in his hand.

Slippy hummed to himself, completely cut-off from the other's communication. He finished the fourth and moved to the last bomb. "Pizza-cake!"

Things seemed to be going rather well despite the situation he was in; this was all second nature to him anyhow. He was thrilled that his talents were finally put to good use, not that he hoped it would be his first and last time that his team depended on him only. He opened the final panel and worked his arms inside – the bulky suit being the only hindrance now.

Light then became broken, eclipsed, and it caught Slippy's eye. Venom was here.


	4. Space Armada

**Author's Note:** I was extremely surprised when I wrote this chapter as none of it was in the original concept. This chapter jumped into my mind and ad libbed its way into the storyline. I found the action to be refreshing, to have them outside their fighters for a change. I plan to write one more chapter! But many times what I plan originally normally turns into something completely different. Yes, fluffy Falco but some emotions are being revealed - but will they be returned?

You also might notice that Space Armada is not on route 3, but it stands to be that Fox and co. are not on their usual paths.

* * *

Slippy raked at his hose until he was back into his cockpit. He screamed, his instincts taking hold, "Guys, guys! Run!" He was hyper-ventilating. He hopelessly tried to escape. "Run, run, run!"

Fox and Falco both stared into the enormous fleet that was barreling through the space graveyard, crushing aside everything on their course. They both knew there was no where to run, as did Slippy though he continued in his desperate attempt.

Falco looked down at James once more before shoving the photo into his pocket. "I'm not going down without a fight, Fox. You hear me?" His air supply was down to a quarter remaining.

"Slippy!" Fox called but he was already out of his view, "Slippy!" His voice reduced to a choked whisper, "Damn it," the fleet had undoubtedly seen them – they were releasing their fighters. Fox watched his father's Arwing still tumbling, forgotten in time, undisturbed. "So be it. All ships check in."

"Ready, Fox."

The Arwings slowly made their way forward. Two stood before thousands and Venom would show no mercy. Falco had roughly five minutes of air, his Arwing buzzing warningly.

Fox closed his eyes, and for a few moments he was with his father in his prototype Arwing. They were well over their home planet, and Fox was laughing. They moved steadily over their home as he held onto his father's back, his dad always smelled of fresh leather and he leaned his head against his warmth. He watched as they ascended higher, now above the clouds, the sun in the distance blanketing the clouds in orange light. He and his father sighed together and shared a few seconds of silence. He set the Arwing to auto-pilot and moved his son from behind him, letting him sit in his lap. Fox pressed his hands and face against the windscreen, releasing little gasps at every little marvel. He tried to remember what words his father shared. He fell asleep against his father's chest.

Falco closed his. The wail of pipes, to which Falco was never a fan, sounded beautiful now. He stood beside Fox who cursed him behind tears for making him come. The casket was surrounded by hundreds, he felt out of place, but Fox thanked him. The ace was rarely off guard, but felt his defenses melt away when Fox wrapped his arms around him. He stared for a few seconds, feeling him press his face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around him too and began crying as well. 'Falco, why are you crying?' He had to admit, he wasn't even sure himself.

He just pulled Fox closer when it occurred to him; he wanted to tell him everything about his own excuse for a father: How he hated him. How he loved him. How hard he tried just to be accepted in his father's eyes, to have what Fox had, even for a little while with his father. He wanted to tell him that he'd be here for him: he wouldn't let Fox get beaten to death in an ally while he just watched. That he was a good son. That he didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

"Thanks, Falco. Starfox, it's time to go to work."

They were showered with fire and the two roared as they returned fire, rolling away from damage and replying full-throttle. They added more Venom crafts to the graveyard.

Fox's ship shook and alarms announced that his deflector shield had finally given way to the constant punishment his Arwing took. He drew closer to the battleships, Falco at his side; his own ship no longer resembled the Cornerian gifts they received in what seems forever ago. A light opened in the battleship, the enemy docking bay.

"Fox!"

But Fox understood! If the Venom ships jumped through the wormhole with them inside, then maybe, just maybe, they could get out of here. They knew time was short, Falco more than Fox with a little over a minute to spare. And Pepper would detonate the Black Hole, they'd have to commandeer the battle ship and force the jump themselves. Fox veered his craft into the innards, into the very mouth of evil, laying fire on the crafts docked within it. He'd never seen the pilots of Venom, it made no difference, and they were shot down in their retreat. Falco close behind.

Falco and Fox leapt from their crafts into the bay, blasters at their hips. They immediately were forced into cover, sliding behind some munitions crates, side-by-side now Fox noticed Falco's bandaged arm. He realized the injury's cause. Blaster fire downpour, Falco tried to see what the source was. They seemed to be more machine than ape, "What the hell are those?" Fox blindly fired, hearing the ape-like sounds and the mechanical whirring of their joints as they took cover of their own, one shot found its mark, the creature screeched before it stopped moving.

"We've got to get to that control room, it's our only shot."

Falco nodded in reply. "Pizza-cake."

Fox looked down, worried about the toad. "On three." He could hear the aparoids drawing closer. "One-" but a small-robotic arachnid rolled around to their side of the crates and began radiating a light; it began to flicker faster and faster. "Three!" They both bounded over the crate and fired into the apes, the spider-bot exploding behind them: walking grenades. They felled the wave of Venomian Soldiers but watched as more and more spiders began to grow in number.

Falco pointed to a doorway and he dashed ahead, checking for enemies before motioning for Fox to come. He laid fire as he made his way to the door, the spiders exploding with each shot. They turned down the hall and were again targeted by the apes; Falco dove for a spider-bot and flung it into the resistance. The aparoids were reduced to spare-parts from the following explosion – shards clinked past their feet and smoke wisped by. Falco moved ahead to the end of the hall checking before motioning for Fox to move up. He noticed the disturbance in the smoke, "Behind you!" But Falco turned around a moment too late. Fox saw the blaster-bolt rip through his chest. "No!" Fox replied with a headshot. Falco stood there and began to collapse, Fox dove to catch him.

"Shit, no, Falco!"

"I swear it was clear." He groaned, the blood pumping from the hole near his shoulder, opposite of his broken one. "Are you going to leave me?"

"No way, I don't care if this place blows with us in it; I'm not leaving you here."

"You're an idiot," Falco smiled, he pulled himself to his feet; he was shaky, but was certain he could walk.

"Don't move too much – wait on me, I'm going to check ahead." Fox dashed ahead, but things were strangely quiet. He heard a shot ring out behind him, on the floor now was an aparoid.

"They're using stealth. Fantastic." Falco held out his pistol, using the wall as support. Fox noticed that an elevator resided at the end of the hall. Behind them was something less inviting: swarms of spiders climbing over themselves, crawling quickly from down the hall at the two, there had to be hundreds of them. Fox frantically rushed and pressed the call button, Falco pulled his body beside him; they could hear it beginning to descend. Falco fired into the swarm, the small detonations threw a few closer to them; he delivered kicks, trying to drive them back. They drew closer, their pulsing-red lights filling the corridor.

"C'mon, come on!" Fox was pounding the button, trying to get a response! The shaft door opened, but with it more apes. Fox was struck once, twice, three times the bolts tearing through his clothes and singeing his legs and face; the Fox fell to his back and returned fire dropping them – his skin was on fire, he hissed in pain. "It's open!"

Falco found the strength to drag Fox into the lift delivering shots back until they were both safely in. They fought to get air in their lungs, Falco struck the bridge button. "Not bad, buddy…" Falco coughed into his hand, and there was blood. "You certainly shoot better than you fly."

Fox smiled but was heaving too heavily to get a response off, he held up a thumb. Falco extended his hand and grasped the other's, pulling Fox to his legs. A sound surrounded them. It reminded Falco of his old tin roof, back in Corneria, the rain that pattered against it when he was home alone. The sounds weren't of a pleasant source, they watched as the spiders fought to pull through the floor and roof of the elevator. They were getting closer and closer, their sharp legs pulling at the metal framing. There was a loud hiss and the lift door slid open, the spiders vanished.

The dark room had a blue glow from all the machinery and display screens – but it was empty. Falco stepped inside, his pistol at the ready. The computers hummed quietly, their lights pulsing. Why was this place empty? He stepped further in, looking over the systems – sure enough, they were on autopilot, and it displayed their escape route! Fox stepped beside him, and holstered his pistol.

Falco gave a thumbs-up and turned back to the console, "I can jump it from here." He slid a switch upward, "Yeah, I think we're going to make it out of this alive after all!" Fox fell to the ground with a thud. "Fox?"

There was sickening squeal, "Not quite." He licked his plasma knife.

Falco looked down at Fox, he wasn't moving. He murmured, his eyes welling up with tears, "What have you done!"

"Why I've expanded my kill count: two McCloud's. And here of all places, how quaint – I couldn't help but let you make it this far, it's been awhile since I've tasted the blood of the McCloud family."

Falco fell to his knees. He dove trying to listen for a heartbeat, listening for breathing. There was a forceful impact against his ribs throwing him from his friend. Pigma delivered a hefty kick. "Hands off my prey, birdie." He snorted and pushed aside his dark cape, pulling from it a blaster it was hiding.

Falco just wanted him to finish him right then and there. Pigma lifted Falco and pressed him into the enormous windscreen – the broken bone crunched against the impact. The pain shot through his body and he released a strained cry. He threw him to the ground again.

"Why you both showed up is beyond me, but I like surprises!" He licked his fat lips. There was a crunch, he lifted his large leg and pulled the crumbled photo from his boot. "Ah, now I see." Falco turned reach for his pistol and took a look to Fox. "No-no!" He drove his boot into Falco's wounds, dropping the gun. He groaned in pain, but surprisingly started laughing, it started low. "What?" his laughing grew louder. "What!" He kicked the gun aside in anger.

"We're already dead, all of us. Andross sent you to your death. Corneria knows you're here, Pigma. Here of all places, how quaint." He pulled his leg from his chest. "There's explosives ready to seal us all in here, and there's nothing you can do." He pulled the plasma knife and placed it to Falco's throat, the feathers singeing from its heat.

"Turn it off!"

"I can't, nobody can."

He grunted and pulled the knife away violently. He stepped to the large window and looked out. The shield-glass shattered with a boom, Pigma was blasted against a wall and dragged his body to another room in escape. An Arwing steadied itself after firing, Slippy screamed. Falco stood and ran for Fox – the pressure leaving the room, a vacuum ripping at the ship parts.

"Falco, jump! Get Fox out of here!"

But there was a deafening boom behind him, the noise rattled their bones; a wave of light began to spread disintegrating everything it touched.

The bomb had gone off.

Falco reached for the console and executed the command: jumping in five seconds.

'One.'

He dove for Fox, wrapping his arms around him, pulling him to his chest. "It's going to be okay, Fox. I won't leave you here." The explosion was drawing closer to Pigma's Battleship.

'Two.' Slippy screamed.

Falco pulled him closer, "If we make it out of this I swear to God I'll tell you everything."

'Three.'

Would the blast hit them before they jumped? Would jumping only speed their demise?

'Four.'

"Fox, please; just hold me again," and Fox wrapped his arms around him.

Falco Smiled.

'Five.'


	5. Out of this Dimension!

**Author Notes: **Thanks all for staying with the story for as long as you have. This is the ''final'' chapter in the story. Though I might consider editing it - I have to say I'm satisfied where this has taken me as being the first fan-fiction I have EVER written. I hoped you all enjoyed it; I'll definitely consider writing another Starfox fic after hearing what you honestly thought at my attempt to writing a Fanfiction. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work! I'd like to extend a special thanks to Jasalazul who helped push me to improving my story the entire way, thanks Jazz. Here you have it the final chapter: Out of this Dimension (based on the secret location of the Starfox game/which also is true of the Black Hole)!

* * *

When you enter the McCloud tunnel back in Corneria, they tell you to hold your breath and to make a wish – count for every second. If you wish hard enough, legend says your wish comes true. McCloud was a legend, a hero. But what makes him so damned special? His eyes cleared and he saw the legend, the hero, "James? I tried to save him." His voice was but a muted whisper, he was crying. "I could never be how your son sees you. I wanted only to be there for him." James continued looking ahead, in the distance he stood on his Arwing.

Falco was floating above clouds, had he died? Was Fox dead? The sky was orange and the clouds drifted by. He tried to get closer to James, swimming, trying to pull his body, to just see his face. His wounds were no longer there, he felt at his chest and he was whole – his arms moved through his feathers, no blood. He was garbed in only his trousers. Where was he? He watched as the illusion melted away, he rubbed his eyes, Fox stood on the Arwing, his tail flicking idly. Fox was whole as well, his fur was clean and his wounds were mended.

"Fox!" His ears shot up, and he turned around. He, too, was crying.

"You're here!" He was blissful for a few seconds; he collapsed to his knees, his bliss halted, still atop the Arwing. "Are we dead?"

"I don't know." He stopped, hovering a small distance from Fox. "Where are we?"

"I think –" Fox paused. "I think this is where my father took me, a long time ago, in his Arwing – but…never mind, it doesn't matter." Birds fluttered by. Falco didn't press Fox, but with a sigh he continued, "Back at Papetoon, my homeworld, my father brought me up here to experience flight. Some fathers take their kids fishing, but not mine." He smiled and shook his head. "It was really something, right then and there I knew what I wanted, to fly." The clouds bubbled by around the base of the Arwing.

Falco sat on the Arwing, his legs swung over the side. Fox sat beside him. Falco smiled, if he had to spend an eternity here, it wouldn't be too bad. He looked down, suddenly too shy to look Fox in the eyes – perhaps it was that he was certain that his eyes belonged to James. He looked through the cloud breaks, watching the tall buildings and the metropolis below – there was no movement down there. Even eternal silence with Fox would be pleasant but broke it just to hear his voice, "What's Papetoon like?"

Fox sighed, "It's a small farming planet on the Lylat Rim; my dad chose the planet because of how quiet it was, he wanted a nice place to settle with Mom. Why?"

Falco stood now, concerned. "Fox, that's not a farming planet below us. You told me you were from Corneria! That's Corneria below us!"

"I know. I don't understand it either." Fox only looked up at his wingman's surprise.

Falco started looking around, something was not right; no one sat in the cockpit – it was all too strange. Then he saw it. The shining emblem: Starfox. This wasn't James's Arwing, it was his own! He looked towards Fox, but he was still looking into the distance. His gaze met the front of his Arwing, to where it was flying, but now stood frozen in time. Up ahead he squinted, but swore he could make out what looked like another fighter. This wasn't Fox's memory, it was his! His heart fluttered, what did any of this mean?

He took his place at Fox's side once more, both staring into the emptiness of a Cornerian Sunrise – permanently fixed in time. Fox met his gaze, his eyes. They were green, like James, but softer – they weren't the steel-strong eyes of his father. They were caring, deep. Fox smiled when he looked down, "Why Falco, I didn't know you only had six toes."

Falco's brow screwed up in a rather awkward stare, "Erm, eight actually," he motioned to his heals. He crossed his legs, trying desperately to hide them from Fox.

"Amazing those things can squeeze into boots." Fox leaned against the Arwing, crossed his arms behind his head. "You promised you'd tell me 'everything' if we made it out alive."

Falco expressed his surprise, scratching the back of his skull. He turned a bit to look at Fox, "Yeah but, we're not even sure if that's the case." He paused, and watched Fox frown, the silence filling eternity; awkward silence was not the silence he could handle forever. "Maybe you're right." He took a deep breath and gulped – feeling in the weight of it all fill his throat. He suddenly felt very naked. "You see…I…"

"I hope Slippy's okay."

"…Yeah." He was not at all relieved at his being interrupted. More silence found itself ever-present, the sort that ate at the two. He felt at his pockets, it was there! He held out the photo, it was torn in places but Fox knew what it was. "Here."

Fox pulled what was left of the photo from his friend and felt at it; as though running his fingers against it would let him feel his father's face again. His eyes already beginning to water, "Where did you get this?"

"I've been holding it since I found it in Peppy's diary. I've been waiting to give it to you, but never had the chance – things were crazy. Oddly enough it was that one thought -I think - that really got me through it all. The idea of seeing you again, I had to make it happen – even if I had to die to get to you." His word choice was poor. A minute passed when Fox's eyes struck him. Had he gone too far?

"None of this comes as a surprise to me," His face was grim, and Falco felt each verbal blow, "I should've known." Fox's brow was raised with a small grin, "Peppy writes in a diary."

Falco let out a small laugh, on the inside he was dying of laughter. The warmth filled him until he built the courage to tell him everthing. "Fox, when I was just a hatchling I was forced to grow up in the harder parts of Corneria. Everyday was a struggle to see tomorrow. My father tried to give me and my brothers a real home, but after my mother passed away he wasn't the same again. He started drinking, gambling, and sometimes wouldn't even come home at night. In this environment it was either join a gang or be killed, or be killed joining a gang, or just dying in the crossfire. My father had become violent, blaming the three of us of having caused our mother of dying – but we all knew it was heartbreak. My father was a mercenary and in his desperation to feed us all, had participated in some unthinkable acts – and she'd found out. She threatened to contact the police but he convinced her to tell no one after a night of violence. The three of us could do nothing, the oldest of us tried to shoot him with our Dad's blaster." He took a breath, the rings of his eyes red with tears. "He was wrestled to the ground by Dad and in the mess the pistol had fired, killing my baby brother in his crib. A few days went by and Mom eventually joined her baby; no police ever get involved in the ghetto. My eldest brother left that day to become a mercenary like our father, leaving me alone with Dad."

Fox's tears dropped onto the Arwing's Hull. "That's horrible."

Falco nodded, "I blamed myself for weeks, and so did my dad. I vowed to go to school to try and get out of that shit hole. I was accepted into a small school in the nicer parts of Corneria, it was miles away but I made it there – sometimes having to walk for hours; I still woke up to make that journey. I had made friends and things got better; I even had a best friend. He made my life exponentially better, you probably wouldn't remember, but you saved my life Fox. The Fox I knew those many years ago had saved me. I wanted to kill myself, but you made every day worth living. I wanted to spend every hour with you, but always had to leave to make the long journey back. My father had other plans. I was attacked and tried to run home, but I was caught in an ally. I shouldn't have been able to survive the assault – but the thought of seeing you again pushed me forward. Then I saw my father in that ally, he just watched as they tried to kill me – he hired them! I never saw my dad after that. I quit school and became a mercenary and vowed to hunt down my father – but he wasn't ever found. But then you found me again, years later. I could not even believe seeing you again, but in my embarrassment buried it away. You looked so heroic, idealistic with those dreams in your eyes; you really lit up that bar! You certainly stood out among all those pirates and mercs."

Fox moved closer to Falco now, wrapping his arm around him.

"You were looking for the toughest 'son-of-a-bitch' you could find; it was funny listening to you use all those rough words, badly, I had to end your embarrassment. So I challenged you to a dogfight. You were okay, for a novice, a few rookie moves and some dumb luck – but I had you in my sights the whole time – any other mercenary would've killed you up there, but I landed my shot and we were done. Then you tried to sell me your invitation to your silly squadron and I heard none of it – the chance to be at your side was the real prize." He thought best to leave the funeral from his story, but recalled the feeling of holding Fox. "We met again at the Cornerian Base – I waited outside while you tried to convince Pepper. I could hear you cheering from down that hall, something was up – and when we were given the Arwings, man that was something. I forced you to sneak out with me to give those babies a test flight, we both knew you wanted to. That night, just before dawn, we stole those birds and sent them sky bound. We flew until daybreak and made another wager and –" Falco stood. He pointed to Fox's Arwing in the distance. "This is where we are."

Fox's face was riddled with surprise; he gasped and stood beside Falco. "My God, you're right! This is your Arwing! Falco…" He stopped; Falco's face was inches from his own. In the light his eyes were soft, a blue. They were so clear, they'd seen more than anyone should see. He had done more than anyone has done for him. He felt as Falco's feathered arm began to wrap around his waist, slowly, his mind no longer could form solid thoughts. What was happening? Their chests pressed against each other's and the warmth tickled over him, spreading – he could feel their hearts beating against their chests. His fur pressed against feather. Their feet tangled. Their lips…closer.

He closed his eyes, and so did Fox. They'd met: soft and cool, Fox's lips caressed his own. He felt his other's arms pull his head closer -their breaths escaping into one another. They began to rise into the still sky, allowing their bodies to pull closer and closer through the zero-gravity. They were bathed in the orange sunlight, but their lips were the only things that parted and only for air. They fought to get closer and closer, as though their souls were battling to become one, separated only by their bodies. They had made love before Falco had realized what had occurred. Fox purred against his chest as they drifted, him having fallen asleep. Falco's eyes grew harder and harder to keep open, if this was a dream he was terrified of waking up but felt himself melt away in the warmth of emotion. He held his breath and counted to five: _I love him. _

He remembered the wager he had made; a gamble Falco was thrilled he lost. He had lost his bet and gained a lover.

--

When he awoke Fox was still beside him. He released his held breath. An idea came to him in his sleep – farfetched, but he woke Fox, sadly – they'd have to go home, as much as Falco would want to spend forever here, he grew hungry. With no food or water, dying here set reality simply: this was not heaven, they had not died. "Wake up, Fox."

He stirred, his eyes halved, "What's up, Falco." He looked around, slightly cheerless that he was still in this memory. But Falco left him; he opened his Arwing and took his place behind the helm. "You don't think that'll work, do you?" He heard the Arwing hum to life. A wealth of emotions ran over Fox, the strongest was hope. He dashed to his own ship, but stopped when he reached Falco's. "I, I don't want to go."

Neither did he, "We can't stay here, Fox – we'll die." He wanted to see Corneria again, get an apartment and live out his life at Fox's side.

_But nothing can hurt us here… _

He stepped towards his Arwing. He climbed inside. He turned the engines on and felt the fantasy melting away, the pocket dimension was evaporating behind them. The clouds gave way, the sun fizzled, and the planet before them was gone. Fox sighed as the last of the memory drizzled away. He turned around, staring ahead, his eyes fixated on the horror before them now. A transmission:

"Fox? Falco? You're alive!" Slippy cheered. "I thought the blackhole took you with it, I was spat out," he laughed. Fox and Falco both stared only in their silence.

"Oh my, Fox! What did you find?" it was Peppy. "Thank God you're all alive. The fleet was destroyed, Falco; I tried to hold Pepper off as long as I could."

The pilots began taking fire but dared not move, frozen in their seats. They stared at where the dimension had sent them, ignoring their being shot. They stood among a thousand-fold wreckage of Pigma's destroyed fleet; they were booted from heaven and set at the doorstep of hell. There two stood before thousands, the gravity already pulling them closer, and they stared at the planet Venom. Worse still, they couldn't remember getting here.


End file.
